Harbor Patrol Finds 7,000 Pounds Of Weed Floating In The Ocean

Yesterday, numerous fishermen and boaters noticed some strange barrels floating off the coast near Orange County, California. Unsure of what they contained, many phoned the discovery in. The Sheriff’s Department sent Harbor Patrol out to investigate, and authorities were able to recover one hundred and sixty barrels, all of which were packed to the brim with marijuana.

According to CBS, the total haul of weed weighed in at more than seven thousand pounds. Authorities estimate the shipment would have sold for more than three million dollars had it wound up in the hands of whoever was supposed to receive it, but now it’s been turned over to Border Patrol who will either destroy it, save it as evidence or use it in sting operations in the future.

Smugglers dropping barrels of drugs into waterways for smaller boats to pick up is far from a new phenomenon. The practice was used extensively during the cocaine boom in Florida, and assumedly, it still goes on today with an assortment of different drugs. What exactly might have happened to the person who was supposed to pick up this shipment is unclear. Obviously, some signals got crossed, or there was some kind of accident.

As of press time, authorities haven’t announced any arrests or persons of interest in the case, but with this much stock, you would think this would turn into a high priority investigation.